Weighted press fountain back structure



Ju y 29,1969 L. R. GIBBS v 3,457,858

WEIGHTER PRESS FOUNTAIN BACK STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 29, 1967 y INVENTORLester R. G/bbs BY J M,

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United States Patent 3,457,858 WEIGHTED PRESS FOUNTAIN BACK STRUCTURELester R. Gibbs, 938 Chester, Topeka, Kans. 66616 Filed Aug. 29, 1967,Ser. No. 664,032 Int. Cl. B41f 1/46; B65d 1/24 US. Cl. 101-363 6 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A movable, weighted, elongated memberpresenting an upwardly and rearwardly extending wall to provide amovable back for an ink fountain reservoir. A longitudinally extendingflange on the lowermost edge of the front wall bears against the bottomof the fountain reservoir to confine the ink between the member and thefountain roller. An elongated rod carried by the flange holds the memberin place on the inclined bottom of the fountain reservoir. In one formof the invention, the rod is segmented for selectively varying theweight of the structure.

This invention relates to printing presses and, more particularly, to amovable wall structure for the ink reservoir of such presses. In theprinting of certain items such as those utilizing magnetic ink forautomatic machine recording, classifying or sorting, it is especiallyimportant that the ink which is in the fountain reservoir be keptconcentrated in a position so that it is readily available to thefountain roller.

It is also important that magnetic inks be available foruniformdisribution by the components of a printing press so that each of theitems printed will be provided with a sufficient quantity of ink havingmagnetic properties for proper detection by automatic sorting machinesand the like. It is, however, particularly difficult to maintain inkswhich contain relatively heavy magnetic constituents concentrated in aproper mass for uniform distribution by the fountain roller because suchinks tend to be relatively heavy and settle back away from the fountainroller under the influence of gravity and operation of the fountainroller. When the ink in the reservoir is permitted to spreadsubstantially over the bottom surface thereof under the influence ofgravity and movement of the roller, such settling tends to locate theink where it is not readily picked up by the fountain roller whichtransfers the ink to the using components of the printing press. If athinner is added to the ink, a condition may result where the thinningliquid and only a small amount of magnetic particles are in contact withthe fountain roller.

Various attempts have been made at providing means for concentrating theink in the reservoir. Devices have heretofore been suggested for holdingthe ink in proper location with respect to the fountain roller and toachieve automatic agitation of the ink by the fountain roller. However,these devices have been relatively expensive, time consuming toassemble, and usually require modification of the printing press.

It is, therefore, the most important object of this invention to providea simple, inexpensive, yet highly reliable, movable back wall structurefor a fountain reservoir to hold the ink in proper position forsupplying an adhering film of ink to the fountain roller for subsequentdistribution to the printing components of a printing press.

In the achievement of the foregoing object, it is also an importantobject of the present invention to present structure which is readilyportable but which will maintain a given location when positioned on thebottom wall of an ink fountain.

It is another important object of this invention to proice vide suchback wall structure which is simple and easy to operate and which may beinstalled or removed fro-m the ink fountain without the necessity ofmodification thereto.

These and other important objects of this invention will be furtherexplained or will become apparent from the following description, claimsand drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view through a typical inkfountain and fountain roller illustrating the structure of thisinvention in place on the bottom wall of the ink reservoir;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view on a reduced scale of the structureof this invention, illustrating the form thereof having no end caps;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the structure of this inventionillustrating the form provided with end caps;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the structure of FIG.3; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, parts being broken away to revealdetails of construction.

The structure embodying the principles of this invention is designatedby the numeral 10 and is illustrated in FIG. 1 in position on the bottomwall 12 of an ink fountain 14. The latter includes a fountain bed knife16 provided with a fountain blade 18 disposed at an angle with respectto the horizontal by virtue of thumbscrews 20 and 22 received withinframe 24. A fountain bed roller 26 is positioned immediately adjacentthe forwardmost longitudinal edge of blade 18 to form one side of thefountain reservoir defined by roller 26, blade 18 and endwalls 28.

The quantity of ink in the fountain reservoir is designatedschematically in FIG. 1 as 30. 'It is apparent that the ink 30 wouldcover a relatively large portion of wall 12 by virtue of the action ofgravity upon the ink mass were it not for the interposition of structure10 as illustrated.

Structure 10 comprises an elongated, relatively rigid member 32 of sheetmaterial bent into generally triangular cross-sectional configuration topresent an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front wall 34 which mergesalong a rounded edge 36 into an integral, downwardly and rearwardlyextending rear wall 38 which serves as a support for structure 10. Rearwall 38 is provided along its lowermost edge with an integral,rearwardly extending flange 40, the lowermost portion of which providesa surface which engages the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 of thereservoir.

The lowermost longitudinal edge of front wall 34 is integral with andmerges into a rearwardly and generally upwardly extending flange 42which engages the bottom wall 12 of the reservoir to provide a secondsupport for structure 10. An elongated, relatively thin strip of gasketmaterial 44 or the like is secured to the lowermost surface of flange 42for effecting an ink-tight seal along the entire length of flange 42.The latter is bent to extend at an acute angle from wall 34 and anelongated weight rod 46 (which may be of transversely circularconfiguration as illustrated) is carried on flange 42 and against therear surface of front wall 34.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that rod 46 may be divided intosegments 46a, 46b and 460, whereupon the weight of the composite unitmay be selectively 'varied if desired. Handle means 48 is mounted on therear surface of rear wall 38 of structure 10 to facilitate manualmanipulation of the latter.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, structure 10 may be provided withend plugs 50 to prevent the admission of any ink into structure 10 atthe ends of member 32. Plugs 50 include a peripheral rim 52 and anintegral extension 54 recessed from the outer periphery of rim 52 toreceive the member 32 on the outer surface of extension 54. Plugs 50 arethus frictionally retained in place at the respective ends of structurebut do not prevent the sealing of material 44 against the upper surfaceof bottom 18 of the reservoir. Manifestly, structure 10 could be usedwithout end plugs 50 if care is taken in the use of the structureinasmuch as the latter normally extends substantially the entire widthof the ink reservoir and the possibility of ink flowing into the openends of structure 10 is thereby minimized.

Although the angles of bends of member 32 to provide the flanges 40 and42 and the front and rear walls 34 and 38 respectively are not critical,it is intended that structure 10 will be configured so that front wall34 extends upwardly at an angle which is approximately 80 fromhorizontal when structure 10 is in position in the fountain reservoir.This angle will permit confining of the ink as is desirable forachieving proper ink distribution by the fountain roller.

As is clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, the operator of the printing pressmay grasp structure 10 by means of handle 48 and install the structurein the ink reservoir at any desired spacing from the fountain roller 26.The upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall 34 thereby serves to confinethe ink mass within limits which will permit pickup by the fountainroller of a desirable film of ink as the fountain roller 26 rotates inthe direction of the arrow in FIG. 1. The general path of agitation ofthe ink mass 30 is illustrated schematically by a series of arrows andshows how the ink is conducted by the front wall 34 of structure 10 inan upwardly and rearwardly direction to the upper surface of the mass30. The ink is thereupon pulled forwardly and downwardly by the rotationof fountain roller 26 for distribution by a saddle roller 56 to othercomponents of the press.

Weight 46 insures that structure 10 will seat securely when positionedon the inclined bottom wall 12 of the fountain reservoir to precludeinadvertent movement of structure 10 and also, to prevent the flowing ofink between the seal effected by material 44 against the upper surfaceof the bottom wall. Manifestly, the amount of weight necessary foraccomplishing this purpose may vary. Accordingly, it is desirable thatthe weight of the entire assembly be variable. This variation can, ofcourse, be quickly and easily carried out by virtue of the segmentedweight rod 46 illustrated in FIG. 2. One or more of the segments may beremoved to effect such Weight change as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with an ink fountain for a printing press or the like,including an ink reservoir having an inclined bottom and an inkdispensing roller forming one side of the reservoir, movable back wallstructure for said reservoir comprising:

an elongated, rigid member of sheet material bent in substantiallytriangular cross-sectional configuration to present an upwardly andrearwardly extending front wall and a downwardly and rearwardlyextending gear wall;

a rearwardly extending flange integral with the lowermost edge of saidfront Wall and adapted to rest on said fountain bottom to confine theink in said reservoir between the front wall and said roller; and

weight means carried by said member between said flange and the rearsurface of said front wall to hold said structure in firm engagementagainst said bottom.

2. The invention of claim 1, said weight means including an elongatedbar of relatively heavy material.

3. The invention of claim 2, said bar being divided into a plurality ofsegments whereby the weight of said structure may be altered by removalof any of said segments.

4. The invention of claim 2, wherein is included gasket means carried bysaid flange on the lowermost surface thereof and adapted to engage thebottom of said reservoir to enhance the ink seal between said structureand said bottom.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein is included a plug for each end ofsaid member respectively, said plugs extending in covering relationshipacross said ends between said front and rear walls and said flange topreclule the flowing of ink into said member through said en s.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein is included handle means mounted onsaid rear member in disposition to facilitate manual manipulation ofsaid member along said bottom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1946 Metzner et a1. l0l3641/1954 Jouishoif et a1. 101-364 U.S. Cl. X.R. 22022

